Treadle.



A. A.. MERRHT.

TREADLE.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG.4, Iglo. REHEWCD /\UL|. 1,1912.

1,168,218. f Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

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APPLICATION HLED A. A. MEHRITT.

TREADLE. AUGA, 1910. RErlEwED AUG. 1,1912".

Patented Jan. 11,I 1916.

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A. A. MERRITT.

TREADLE.

APPLICATION FLLED AUG.4.1910. REHEWD AUG. 1.1912. 1168,218 Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT onirica- 4AB.;1.HUB A. MERBITT, 0F WORCESTER', MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB. T0 WILLCOX &

GIBBS SEWING MACHINE C0., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION' OF NEW YORK.

TBEADLE. i

'Specication of Letters Patient.

l Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

VApplication filed August 4, 1910, Serial No. 575,513. Renewed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,778.

' To all whom it may concern:

obviously adapted to varioususes, but designed particularly for use in connection with sewing machines. With power driven sewing machines itis customary to provide a pair of treadles for the operator, one to throw the power` transmitter into action to drive the machine, and the other to lift the presser-foot. If the presser-foot is lifted while the machine is in operation, or the machine thrown into operation while. the presser-foot is lifted, injury to the mechanism is likely to result.

In accordance with the present invention locking means are provided adapted to be operated by actuation of either treadle to lock the other treadle againstactuation or depression.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments of the invention Figure 1 is an elevation with parts in section showing the application of locking treadles of this invention to a sewing machine; Fig. 2

is a top plan view of the treadles, on a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the sewing machine in dotted outline; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the treadle structure; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4.--4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of another form of treadle structure; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6`6 of Fig. 5and Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 8 designates 'a supporting bench or table upon which is mounted a sewing machine 9, shown merely in outline, of the character disclosed in my application for patent Serial No. 467,163,1iled December 12, 1908, having a driving pulley 10, a rearwardly extending rock-arm 11 (shown in cross-section), a rod 12 having a head on its upper end and depending through an opening at the rear end of arm 11, and a coiled spring 13 about rod 12 and tending to press rock-arm 11 upward. The

,rock-arm 11 when actuated against the pressure of spring 13 by a downward pull upon rod 12 operates to lift the presser-foot of the ter and brake mechanism of the character disclosed in patent to Stockton Borton, No. 782,481, dated February 14, 1905, and comprising a driven pulley 14, a driving pulley 15,`and a lever 16 for forcing the pulleys into frictional lengagement to actuate the driven from the driving pulley. Pulley 14 is connected to the driving-pulley 10 of the machine by a belt 17, and the driving pulley 15 may be connected by a, belt 18 to the pulley 19 on driving shaft- 20 actuated by any suitable power.

21 is a treadle having a lug or ear 22 connected by a chain, cable, rod or the like 23 to thelower end of the rod 12.l

' 24 is a treadle having an ear or lug 25 connected by a chain or the like 26 with the lever 16 of the power transmitter and brake.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the treadles 21 and 24: are in ,the form of solid plates; as used in practice, however, they are perforated for lightness, as illustrated in section in Fig. 4. To show such perforations in the other figures would confuse the illustration of other parts.

27 is a treadle frame, the outline of which is shown clearly in Fig. 2, and which is secured to the fioor beneath the table 8 by three screws 28.

29, 30 and 31 are lugs or bracket-arms rising from the frame 27. A short shaft 32 is supported at its ends in bearing openings in the upright arms 29 and 30, and passes through lugs on the underside of the treadle 24, which latter is xed to the shaft by a set screw 33. A similar short shaft 34 is supported at its ends in bearing openings in the upright arms 30 and 31, passes through lugs on the underside of treadle 21, and is fixed to said treadle by a set screw 35.

36 is a plate, web or partition, rising from the frame 27 between the treadles and to a height somewhat above the surface thereof, serving to prevent the operators foot from being placed upon both treadles at one and ythe same time; asillustrated this partition is cast integral with the upright arm 30 and extends rearward therefrom, its upper edge being inclined, corresponding to the inclination of the treadles.

37 is a locking bolt, barI or vlever pivoted at its middle to swing horizontally on a vertical screw pivot 38, which latter engages at its lower end a screw-threaded socket in frame 27. A flat spring 39, secured at its middle to frame 27 by a screw 40, bears at its ends against stop lugs 42, 42, rising from frame 27, and against depending lugs 411, 41, on locking bolt 37, thereb tending to hold the latter in the norma position in which it is illustrated in the drawings.

43 is a flange, cam-plate or lip depending from the underside of treadle 21, having a straight lower edge 44 and a rear curved or cani-edge 45; 46 is a similar' lange, camplate' or lip depending from treadle 24 having a straight lower edge 48 and a rear curved' or cam-edge 47. Vlien treadle 24 is actuated or depressed to throw the power transmitter into action and drive the machine, the cam-edge 47 of its cam 46 acts upon -one end of locking bolt 37, swinging the same on its pivot against the tension of spring 39 andcarrying the other end of said bolt under the straight edge 44 of the cam 43 of treadle 21, thereby lockingwthe latter treadle against action or depression to lift the presser-foot so long as treadle4 24 is depressed.' Just the reverse happens whentreadle 21 is actuated. It is therefore impossible to lift the presser-foot while vthe machine is in operation, or to start the sewing-machine while the presser-foot is lifted. Damage, suchas is caused by the needle-bar head contacting thread-carrying' parts mounted on the presser-foot is thus prevented.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the treadles and their Hoor-frame are positioned at an oblique angle to the front edge of the workbench, thus conforming to the operators position for the type of sewing machine illus-' trated in outline. For an Ordinar sewing machine the treadles would be positioned approximately at right angles to the front edge of the bench.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, a longitudinal movable instead of a pivotally swinging) lockingbolt is employed. One treadle 50 is fixed to its short supporting shaftl, and has fastened to its inner edge a plate 52 constituting a depending plate, lip or liange adapted upon depression of the `treadle to enter a notch or recess 53 in a frame 54. The other treadle 55 has a similar shaft 56 and plate, lip or ange 57, the latter adapted to enter a notch or recess 58 in said frame 54. 59 is a longitudinally movable locking 'bolt or bar, supported at its ends in bearing openings in bracket-arms or lugs 60 and 62 rising from frame 54, and at `its middle passing through an opening in forked bracket-arm or lug 61. 62 is a collar fixed to bolt 59 at its middle byV a pin 63 adapted to-be put in place by passing it through the openings 64 in arm or lug 61 (see Fig. 6). 65 is a coiled spring encircling bolt 59, and bearing at one end against lug 60 'of the frame and at its other end against a washer 66 loose on the on bolt.

bolt. A similar spring 68 encircles the bolt between lu 62 and another washer 67 loose he springs 65 and 68 normally press their washers 66 and 67, respectively, against opposite faces of lu 6l with the collar 62 in the opening of said lug, thereby normally positionin the bolt 59 with its conical ends projecting into the notches 53 and 58 respectively, as shown in Fig. 5. When treadle 50 is depressed, for example, the plate 52 enters notch 53, as shown in Fig. 6, and acts against the conical end of bolt 59, moving it longitudinally against the tensionl of sprlng 68 and carrying its other end across the notch 58, in which position it prevents plate 57 from entering said notch, thereby locking treadle 55 against dei pression. If treadle 55 is first de ressed just thev reverse happens, the tread e150, being from the spirit of the invention. For ex- A ample, the invention is applicable not only to two treadles but to three or more.

What I -claim is l. The combination of two independentl movable treadles, a treadle frame or base on which they are mounted, and locking-means also mounted on said base beneath said treadles and actuated'upon operation of either treadle to lock the other treadle.

2. The combination of two independently movable treadles, a treadle frame or base on which they are mounted, a locking-device common to both treadles mounted on said frame beneath the treadles and actuated by the operation of either treadle from a nonlocking to a locking position with relation to the other treadle and thereby lock said other treadle against operation.

3. The combination of two independently movable treadles and a pivotal support for the same, a locking-device common to both treadles and positioned beneath the same, and a depending part on each treadle acting upon the operation of either treadle to actuate said locking-device from a non-locking to a locking position with relation to the other treadle and thereby lock said other treadle against operation.

4. The combination of two independently.

means for normally holding and returning said locking-device to a non-locking position relative to both treadles, and means associated with each treadle acting upon the operation of either treadle to actuate said' locking-device from its non-locking to a looking position relative to the other treadle and thereby lock said other treadle against operation.

5. 'lhe combination of tWo independently movable treadles, a treadle-frame or base on Which said treadles are pvotally mounted, a locking-device common to both treadles and mounted on the base beneath the treadles, spring-means normally holding and returning said lookingedevice to a non-locking position relative to both treadles, and means associated With each treadle acting upon the operation of either treadle to actuate said looking-device from its non-locking to a looking position relative to the ,other treadle and thereby lock said other treadle against operation.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.'

ARTHUR A. MERRITT.. Witnesses H. A. W. HAYWARD, W. T. SIDDALL. 

